The Talk
by cobra
Summary: Superboy finally has a Talk with Superman about his and Robins' discovery in Teen Titans 1


Kon-El flew over the buildings and streets of Metropolis with a lot of his mind. Just recently he had found out that his origin, everything he thought he was, was a lie. He didn't know what to expect, didn't know which way his life was going anymore. But he had to get it out, get it off his chest, and there was only one man, well, Superman he knew might understand, and even forgive him. Today he knew where Superman would be, it didn't take long to figure it out. All the sounds of destruction that echoed over the city was a sure sign. And even if Superman wasn't there, whatever was causing the destruction had to be stopped, it was that simple. The Teen Of Steel put on a burst of speed and in the back of his mind noticed that he was getting faster than he was in his old days, in the simpler days. Who would have thought that living with parental figures at sixteen was more complicated than living on your own at the same age. Going to school was the most stressful simply because of who and where he was. As he cleared a large sky scraper he saw the monster causing the destruction of Metropolis.  
  
"Metallo!" Superboy bellowed as he hovered just above the head of the large metal monstrosity. The monster turned his head toward the figure and laughed a hollow ringing laugh that almost made Superboy's ears hurt.  
  
"If it isn't the little one. Where is your better?" \  
  
"Not sure at the moment, guess I'll have to do." Superboy answered cockily, different from how he would have answered had the metal monster not called Superman his better. Had not put him up to the mantle of the greatest hero alive.   
  
"Whoa!" Superboy yelled as he dodged the duel eyebeams of Metallo and spun in the air landing solidly on the ground.  
  
'Gotta get this fight outta Metropolis, to many innocent people around.' Superboy thought to himself then took off into the air going toward the once again abandoned Cadmus Labs on the outskirts of Metropolis. Metallo watched as the boy flew away and for one moment thought of not following, then the large villain jumped into the air with all it's machined strength and glided after the figure of red and black that streaked through the blue sky. Superboy slowed his speed and looked back toward where he thought Metallo would be, it didn't take a moment for his super hearing to hear the loud whistling but not even he could move quick enough to avoid the four ton metal weight that fell from a hundred feet above him landing solidly on his slowly flying body. Superboy was slammed into the ground at near supersonic speeds the weight of Metallo, with the help of gravity, forcing the young hero farther into the ground breaking through and falling into the first layer of the underground facility once known as Cadmus Labs. Once known as his home.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
"What happened here?" Superman asked as he landed in the center of the destruction in the city known as Metropolis.  
  
"Superman!" Lois Lane Kent yelled as she ran carefully but quickly around the objects in her path toward the towering Man of Steel she was proud to call husband and friend.  
  
"Lois. Are you alright?" Superman asked with a caring voice that made Lois smile slightly.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm not sure about Superboy, he took the fight with Metallo out of the city, we felt a huge shockwave from the battle just a minute ago." Lois said a look of worry etched on her beautiful face. A similar look appeared on Superman's' face as another shockwave was felt though the ground under there feet. He quickly caught Lois before she fell.  
  
"I've got to go." He said quickly and took to the air in a red and blue blur.  
  
~~~~~~~~`  
  
Superboy stood uneasily as the dust cleared and he looked toward the sky. Three level above him was ground level, infront of him was the insanely more powerful than he remembered Metallo.  
  
"I think it's time I finished you boy." The villain said in his ringing voice.  
  
"I've got... a few tricks up my sleeve ya know." Superboy rasped out as he felt the tear in his shirt, a large rip straight through the center of the *S*. With a growl Superboy flew forward as fast his beaten body could carry him and flew straight into the metal monster. As they both flew toward the metal wall in the distance Superboy reached into his reserves and using his TTK tore the metal monstrosity apart with a large explosion and a shower of sparks. As the young hero slowed to a stop just before slamming into the far wall he turned and surveyed the area. No Metallo in sight. Just pieces of the large metal body. With a sigh the Teen Of Steel flew out of the hole the fight had created and landed on ground level.  
  
"Good Job." Superman said as he landed beside Superboy causing the super powered teen to jump in shock.  
  
"um...Thanks." Superboy said as he tried to look Superman in the eyes and failed.  
  
"What's wrong Conner?" Superman asked with a caring voice as he placed a hand on the younger mans shoulder.  
  
"I've been keeping something from you, from everyone." Superboy said with a defeated voice.  
  
"Everyone has secrets Conner, you just have to decided if and when to tell them."  
  
"I don't want to tell anyone, I'm afraid to. But, you deserve to know, you trust me to wear the shield. You trust me to live with your parents for petes sake." Conner said as he sat down on the grass his legs hanging into the hole that was created minutes earlier, Superman sat at his side.  
  
"I'm afraid of what you'll think of me." Conner said as he finally looked into Superman's eyes. Superman saw the fear behind the blue eyes of Superboy.   
  
"You've proven yourself to me Conner, time and time again, I'm not going to think any less of you."  
  
"Okay.." Superboy said and took a deep breath before beginning to speak.  
  
"It all started when I first became a Titan. The first night at the Tower Robin and I were talking when he got an email, it was my Cadmus file."  
  
"How??" Superman asked but then shook his head and nodded for the young man at his right to continue.  
  
"I don't know yet, Robin said he would look into it but I think he's got something more important on his mind, I just don't know what yet. Anyway, it said I was half kryptonian, and half human." Superboy said and looked at Superman whose face showed one of pure shock.  
  
"That's about how I looked. I've been lied to since the beginning." Conner said and looked toward the sky.  
  
"There's more isn't there." Superman stated more than asked. Conner nodded but didn't look at the man of Steel.  
  
"Yeah, and your not going to like it. I don't think you'll ever trust me after this, hell, I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust myself. You were one of my genetic donors. The other..." Superboy paused and looked Superman in the eyes with despair.  
  
"Is Lex Luthor." Superboy closed his eyes expecting the worst from the Man Of Steel. After a long stretch of silence the young teen hero opened his right eye, saw the small smile on Superman's face, then opened his left.  
  
"Why are you smiling?" Superboy asked with trepidation. Superman put a hand on Conner's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.  
  
"I've told you before that genetics don't make you a hero, they also don't make you a villain." Superman had a slight smirk on his face that calmed Conner down slightly.  
  
"So you don't hate me?" Superboy asked carefully.  
  
"Of course not Kon. And I don't think any less of you, you've always had those genes, and you've always been a hero. You've made mistakes along the way, and you'll make more the longer you help others. We all do."  
  
"Even you?" Conner asked slightly in awe of the man sitting next to him. Even after all this time, all the talks he's had with the Man Of Steel, he was still in awe of the larger than life figure at times.  
  
"Especially me. I'm not perfect Kon, I know a lot of people think I am and believe it or not that's the hardest part of trying to be a hero, peoples expectations hit a lot harder than Doomsday ever did." Superman said with a serious look in his eyes. Conner slightly chuckled at the statement and nodded his head.  
  
"And Conner, I know you've got it worse than me. The name Superboy not only signifies a hero, it signifies you as my predecessor. That means people, especially yourself, watch and judge everything you do." Superman took a deep breath and sighed before continuing.  
  
"To tell you the truth I've been watching you a lot more lately. And until today I was really thinking about your training, about you not being good enough. But today, you've proven me wrong. In the old days you wouldn't have gotten Metallo out of the city. You would have fought him head on in downtown Metropolis, but today you made a responsible and mature decision to lead him away. And you took him down by yourself, I know you've done it before but still. But the thing that makes me most feel that you can do this, that you can be Superman, even a better Superman than me? It's this talk, you were man enough to tell me what you told me today. That took more courage than I thought you had. And it really makes me feel like a, what do you say? Heel, that I thought you didn't have it." Superman looked directly into Superboys' eyes searching for anything, then he noticed the small smile that formed on Superboy's lips. Before he could speak anything a noise seemed to vibrate in his ears.  
  
'HELP HELP!'  
  
"Did y.." Superman started to ask only to be slightly startled as Superboy took to the air as fast as the young man could...  
  
"You COMING?!" The young Teen Of Steel asked as his red and black form flew quickly toward the horizon, then the red and blue form of Superman flew past him in a rush. Superboy poured on the speed but still fell steadily further behind the man of steel. But both men noticed, not as far behind as a few years ago.  
  
END 


End file.
